27 February 1942___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DEI: More troops unloaded at Ambon and the CD guns took their toll. A few DDs have system damage in the 20s and will have to head back to port. The troops were anded safely.

On Java Madoien falls. This is significant as now there is a big level 4 field to use for Netties closer to the approaches to the DEI. A base force will move right in and parts of an HQ will also be flown in. The troops will move immediately toward Soerabaja.

CHINA: Big raids hit Changsha leaving the field with 52 damage.

PACIFIC: Near Finschhafen the CAP trap hits a bunch of Banshees! Woohoo! I love taking those out. 12 downed for the day to no zero losses.

BURMA: A big British raid hits the 14th tank near Taung Gyi and takes out a few AFVs. It will still move in to the base. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Feb 27, 42 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Haven't seen many Bolos around until these attacks. I wonder why they're not in training units somewhere?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The fall of Singapore allows several divisions to move immediately to Sumatra and Java, as well as freeing up many artillery units that will go to Palembang. I'm toying with the idea of simply surrounding and bombarding the troops into oblivion there. I don't really fancy attacking and getting half of the oil/refineries destroyed. So why couldn't I isolate it and work the small Dutch units for a month with artillery, at the same time cutting them off from any resupply and solidifying the rest of the island so no reinforcements could be landed. I'm leaning toward this strategy, which could lose me a month or two and save lots of supply and many years of oil production if it works.

Are you playing a mod? In stock, Palembang's refineries will generate 1,000 supply/day, so you will never starve out his forces.

The fall of Singapore allows several divisions to move immediately to Sumatra and Java, as well as freeing up many artillery units that will go to Palembang. I'm toying with the idea of simply surrounding and bombarding the troops into oblivion there. I don't really fancy attacking and getting half of the oil/refineries destroyed. So why couldn't I isolate it and work the small Dutch units for a month with artillery, at the same time cutting them off from any resupply and solidifying the rest of the island so no reinforcements could be landed. I'm leaning toward this strategy, which could lose me a month or two and save lots of supply and many years of oil production if it works.

Are you playing a mod? In stock, Palembang's refineries will generate 1,000 supply/day, so you will never starve out his forces.

Torsten has turned off the refineries as he feels it's not historically accurate to have them producing supply to feed troops. Regardless, I was thinking not necessarily of starving them out, but of shooting them out.

I have A LOT of arty loading to move there from Singapore. I'm not sure it can be done, but what if I could take out 30-40 squads a day and maybe only DA once to really disrupt his troops? It could be worth a try if the other option is half-ruined oil facilities it would take years to repair.

Just to look at the math, if there are 2000 squads of all types, lets say, and we were able to on average destroy 30 a day, how long would it take to kill off the lot? Well, it looks like it would be just over two months at that rate. Add in a DA with 150-200 destroyed squads and it could be quicker. That doesn't even take into account air bombardments which are already able to destroy 5-10 squads a day and could be stepped up soon. All of it would be at some cost, but maybe not as much as repairing oil wells until 1944.

This is really all conjecture and wishful thinking, but I might as well start that way and see how it goes. Maybe I'll get lucky.

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

28 February 1942___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DEI: Tomorrow a BB bombardment will hit Ambon. This should loosen things up there. Two more units will move in and then I'll attack with about 200 AV vs about 95 AV.

Merak and then Oosthaven will be mineswept. Troops are just ready to leave Singapore and move to these destinations, as well as arty to Palembang.

Near Java our DD patrols took out one more PT boat. They haven't hit anything this time, so I must be covering this stuff a bit better.

CHINA: Still no sign of any resistance in the air. Maybe he's removed the AVG fro the theatre.

BURMA: I continue to send troops into Mektila. He's definitely swinging his large forces around through Rangoon to get there. I might have another week of transport and fort building to get ready.

A raid tried to hit the 14th tank today resulting in a large number of downed British bombers and some US fighters. At least that part of this move is working. I lost one zero which is odd as he had the P-39s set to bomb low. Maybe they jettisoned ordnance and got into the fight.

In the next few days two groups of BBs will bombard Ambon. I'm hoping to repeat this method of quick multiple unit invasion, followed by several bombardments and only later a DA in the attack at Koepang as well. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1 March 1942___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DEI: A good bombardment at Ambon means the units landing tomorrow will have fewer guns to deal with and the troops should be quite disrupted.

A DMS cleared a bunch of mines still in Merak. The coast is now clear through the straits.

CHINA: Some AVG P-40s come up at Changsha today. Oscars make short work of them for no losses. He was patrolling at 7k, looking for unprotected bombers most likely.

PACIFIC: Engineers are arriving here and I'd like to get all bases to level 2 airfields quickly in the Solomons, New Guinea, and in the Central Pacific area.

BURMA: There was no challenge to the troops at Meiktila after yesterday's air raids and troops continue to be flown in. The Naval Guard in nearly complete, but the 21st division is use coming out of strat mode at Pisanoluke.

CAP engaged: AVG/2nd Sqn with H81-A3 (0 airborne, 12 on standby, 0 scrambling) 6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact. Group patrol altitude is 7000 , scrambling fighters to 7000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 22 minutes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on Changsha , at 82,52

While Torsten has occasionally guessed right and jumped a few bombers, the losses chart shows 92 H81-A3 lost for all reasons so far. Not bad.___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

While Torsten has occasionally guessed right and jumped a few bombers, the losses chart shows 92 H81-A3 lost for all reasons so far. Not bad.___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You are certainly chopping down those H81-A3's. Keep up the good work!!

_____________________________

Our lives may be more boring than those who lived in apocalyptic times, but being bored is greatly preferable to being prematurely dead because of some ideological fantasy.- Michael Burleigh

While Torsten has occasionally guessed right and jumped a few bombers, the losses chart shows 92 H81-A3 lost for all reasons so far. Not bad.___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You are certainly chopping down those H81-A3's. Keep up the good work!!

Thanks. I re-do everything EACH turn. So even if he guesses right now, I'll might have only sweeps flying and no bombers, or fewer bombers at that spot and more at another, and even a bit of night bombing thrown in when the moon is big and full. I've lost a few too many IJN MBs in the early days, but after losing the three CVs I felt I had to push hard in spite of all of the warnings not to lose those pilots. I still have to use them a lot for ground bombing, but more in Java and Burma.

My Sally pools are starting to build now and I can begin converting some of the smaller IJAAF groups to 2E. Helens are online soon, but a lot of work must be done before April. I still have one big landing in mind. I just have to decide where.

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

2 March 1942___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUBS: The KXIV is sighted first by escorts but still comes up and manages to nail an AMC. My ASW is very poor this game in the shallows of the DEI. I remember wanting subs to attack in previous games there so I could hit them in the shallows. Not sure if Torsten is picking great commanders, if he's just saturating areas better or if my ASW is just worse.

DEI: I sent my DDs to actively hunt PTs near Kalidjati as I have some ships I'd like to land there. Took out a few today for no losses.

Enough has landed at Ambon now to get the job done. I'll rest them up and DA in a few days.

CHINA: Chagsha hit hard again.

PACIFIC: At Finschafen his P-40s swept and took out 4 zeros for 2 P-40s. Not great. I was flying low for the Banshees.

BURMA: I see some movement toward Meiktila. It's slowly growing and almost the entire Naval Guard has flown in. THe 21st division is ready to go tomorrow.

MALAYA: Troops are loaded on transports and moving to Palembang and Oosthaven. The Java troops will follow landing at Kalidjati. Some should land tomorrow at Oosthaven. Still no sign of CVs on the horizon. Bettys are working from Java and Mavis from Malaya trying to see deep into the Indian Ocean. CAP is flying from Sinkep, Java, and Borneo. I think I can at least get troops landed, but if he does react, I may lose some ships. I have to get troops freely moving on Sumatra to eventually surround and cut off Palembang, so it's the price I'll pay if it comes to that. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 02, 42 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2 March 1942___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUBS: The KXIV is sighted first by escorts but still comes up and manages to nail an AMC. My ASW is very poor this game in the shallows of the DEI. I remember wanting subs to attack in previous games there so I could hit them in the shallows. Not sure if Torsten is picking great commanders, if he's just saturating areas better or if my ASW is just worse.

That sub is the bane of my life in every game of AE!! I think its crewed by Dutch supermen

3 March 1942___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUBS: Skipjack has been sitting in Merak and today the DMS clearing the port dropped six hits on the sub. Nice.

DEI: Troops began to land in Oosthaven and Kalidjati and the arty units started landing at Palembang today. This was sooner than I'd planned. I had hoped to get two phases in tomorrow starting early in the night. This will give one more day of reaction to the Allies. A big few days. As I've mentioned, just getting troops on land is the big priority. If I lose the vessels that got them there, I'm not so worried except for the escorts. I've lost enough DDs already.

Another bombardment softens things in Ambon. I'll be ready for a DA tomorrow.

CHINA: Big raids near Sian on troops in the clear result in hundreds of casualties. He'll likely get these into the base before I can attack though.

PI: Tomorrow I'll try a bombardment at Clark just to see the status of what is here.

BURMA: At Taung Gyi the 14th tank unit is repulsed from the base by a strong Chinese Corps. This one starts at Chungking and moved all of the way down here. He's definitely trying something in Burma. So this bought time for Meiktila. Now we'll see if enough of the 21st division can be flown in to hold the base and if the supply we can provide will be enough. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 03, 42 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oosthaven is key to the capture of Palembang. Once we have the base search will be able to fly farther into the IO, the only port for landing reserves for the Allies will be Benkolen, with no rail to Palembang. also, we need to move around and enter Palembang from the opposite side so as to have no fear of shocking and also to cut off all hex sides. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

No. He has to buy them out. But that is one of two Corps that can be bought out. I went through and checked them just in case there was a liberal interpretation of the rules, but Torsten is pretty honorable. I wouldn't expect him to try anything shady. For my own knowledge though it was good research. There is a list of the troops available for buyout in China several posts back. Post 357. I'll just include the list again here.

Looks like I've got a fight on my hands in Burma.

It looks like the total units that can be bought out from China are below:

Any chance at all you can do an amphibious landing behind him in Burma? Say Chittagong or Cox Bazaar?

The CV thing is a bit of a problem. Not having enough of them. Or really, not having enough zeros to even fill out my CV groups. I could take on 3 Allied CVs and probably come out ahead, but I need full groups and I'm about 40 zeros short now.

I have three options. One is Wake. I crossed that off the list a few days ago. Too risky. Too well entrenched now and too well mined. The next is Port Moresby. Leaning toward this one. He'll have about 500 AV there plus CD guns by now.

The best option is Chittagong. His CVs will be in India though I'm fairly sure. With what he has there he looks to be trying to really actually hold Burma. I almost am forced to land behind him, but he knows this. I'll look at whether it can happen, but I might not be able to do that before June, and that is quite late. It might make him feel it's past the point where I could do it, though.

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

4 March 1942___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DEI: Unlading continues at Palembang and Oosthaven. My second amphib TF with the other division is delayed and won't make it until tomorrow. I thought about canceling and sending it to Java but I'll let it all hang out and see what happens. Tomorrow I'll DA and should easily take the base at Oosthaven and thus get CAP up the next day. I'll also DA at Kalidjati and Ambon (again) tomorrow.

CHINA: Big bombing at Changsha, Sian and some at Siangtan. Troops are now walking into Changsha from the Wuchang road side. A small tank unit will open the hex from the other side and a brigade from the road toward Nanchang. Hopefuly the troops in the Changsha hex will dissuade him from reinforcing Siantang from there. I have about 2500 AV moving in there. About 2000 AV will invest Changsha.

PI: The bombardment at Clark shows 2245 AV there! That seems more than I'm used to having at that base. Did he fly more troops in? No matter, because they won't fight very well without food or bullets. I won't be bombarding much until I can get more arty in here though.

BURMA: Still flying troops. He's still moving things around, walking the big Chinese unit from next door in Taung Gyi. If I can get to 300AV I might be able to hold Meiktila with the 1 fort it should have.

Cheers. Yeah, it kind of evolves. They started more plain, then I found the color useful to pinpoint things. Use whatever you like. I was impressed with a few other AARs when I started and kind of put a few similar things into mine and it just went from there.

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

5 March 1942___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A bit of devastion during this turn. The window was left open too long and a swarm came flying through.

DEI: At Oosthaven one division unloaded easily, but the synchronization of amphibious TFs did not happen and another division that began disembarking during the night was a day too late. The US CVs parked off of Benkolen and flew numerous sorties against a number of TFs in the area. Neither the Nell group nor the Bettys at Singkawang flew against them. The LR CAP was not nearly enough and only about 1/3 of a division was landed safely, while the other part went for a last swim in the waters off of Oosthaven.

The number of DDs performing ASW and surface combat roles in the area probably saved the TF at Pelembang from also being savaged. This was great as the CA and CL there would taken a pounding. As it was, we lost more DDs, but a number proved too nimble to be hit. This was all painful to watch, and i was very unhappy with the MB group leaders (or the weather) for keeping our attack planes back, but at least enough troops should be landed to accomplish the intended mission on Sumatra. These divisions were not allocated for use in a second tier mission should that happen.

There was some good news as Oosthaven and Kalidjati fell and Ambon should be in our hands tomorrow. The timing is still on track, we're now just short about 10-12 good ships and much of a division.

CHINA: Sian continues to get the works. The troops across the river made it back into the city before we could attack. That is tough, but he still hasn't retreated his big stack into Sian and bombards every day. I think he must be trying to increase their experience. It seems like this would be counter-productive if they end up with no supply, but we'll see as we go. I may be too optimistic.

PACIFIC: Only fort building in the Solomons going on and engineers being sent from Manchuria.

BURMA: A flight of P-40s did well against our zeros over Meiktila, shooting down for for one loss. We'll add a second group in case bombers follow tomorrow. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 05, 42 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Even Devastators were useful today, getting a number of torpedo hits on transports. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

US CV Raid___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Here is the current map of the DEI after the turn. I'll bring in as much CAP to cover retreating ships as I can. Also, the 45 plane zero group heading to Oosthaven will be set to escort Nettys should the planes actually fly tomorrow and if Torsten stays around to try for more. I don't think he will, however.

Soerabaja should fall within days, and a division has landed at Kalidjati and will move to Bandoeng on the way to Batavia.

The big infantry units from Taung Gyi should move in to the Meiktila hex very soon. I only have just over 200AV in the hex, but should have level 1 forts at least by the time of an attack. Zeros are at Chang Mai and Pisanoluke and Nettys at Bangkok.

South Pacific___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Port Moresby is looking to be a tough place to get to soon. It has over 25k troops, plus PTs and other vessels constantly in the port. Kittyhawks move in and out. The Banshees might have been exhausted though, which is a bonus. I've still not decided whether to try for this base or to attempt to invade somewhere past Burma in India to isolate troops there.

6 March 1942___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUBS: Adding insult to injury, the KXV took out DD Tokitsukaze, part of a SCTF today moving toward Singapore. Too many DDs lost!

DEI: The US CVs disappeared as quickly as they arrived. I had a bunch of CAP set at Oosthaven and throughout the area, plus the two Netty groups ready, but nothing was there to hit. On Java Cats were used for naval attacks, losing 3 of their number to the Oscar CAP.

Ambon fell. This will free these troops for Lautern, next on the list. Then Koepang. A SCTF is heading out tomorrow to pick up a few troops and head down to Timor.

The KB is gathering. I've sent the big fleet CVs with the new Shoho to Babeldaob. They're meeting there with the mini-KB and all will move to Balikapan. Eventually they will move to Soerabaja and be ready for whichever destination I attempt to land before the April 1 bonus deadline. I'm still short a bunch of zeros, so I shut down replacements for all groups except those CV groups that are short. In 10-12 days I should have 35-40 ready to put into those groups and be sailing somewhere. Tense moments. But it looks like only two CVs were operating yesterday near Sumatra.

CHINA: Sian and Changsha are pounded. Troops in the center are threatening moves to several bases, but only the Changsha bound divisions are actually moving in. They are two days away.

BURMA: Chinese troops plus some Burmese units have moved into the Meiktila hex. We're not where we want to be, but there is one fort built, and there is about 215 AV at the base. I'm hoping this will hold due to the superior quality of troops, but I'm not sure. I was hoping for more by now. Moving a division it is hard to get the AV value in quickly as the guns and other troops are also flown in. I'll sweep and CAP the hex for tomorrow.

7 March 1942___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DEI: Tomorrow I'll bombard at Soerabaja, Bandoeng and Pelembang. No more ships have sunk from the air raids, and it's great to have the shipyard at Singapore now to send them to.

CHINA: Sian gets crushed from the air. The last of my divisions have joined up and are moving to the hex right across the river from Sian. If he lets these cross thinking this is not my main force I may have a shot at the city. The forts will be tough. Several IJA engineer units are supplementing those within divisions. The majority of all the tanks in China are here as well. It'll be a week before I can move in. If he retreats his main for SE of Sian into the city, I'll move my Army on the gray road in as well, trying to coordinate it with troops coming fro over the river so they make it in time for any attack by the KMT but don't need to shock.

BURMA: His troops were in the hex at Meiktila but not attacking. Fingers crossed I finally got the Tinas over here for a last ditch effort to get the division flown in. Up to about 223 AV now. Tomorrow it could be at 250-60AV. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 07, 42 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm just now starting to get enough Sallys to think about converting smaller 12 plane groups to 2Es.___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Enjoying this AAR, as I know Torsten will give you one hell of a game!!

Torsten has already accomplished that as of turn 2!

It's really an interesting situation to have to play Japan at a CV deficiency. I have to think twice about each move, and there are certain things I cannot do without the KB at full strength. Because I lost those ships early i've had to give up more to even get normal objectives met.

Wake was one thing crossed off earlier, and by the time I knew the location of his CVs, it was likely built up, mined, and fortified to a point where it becomes too hard a nut.

Deep South Pacific is out of the question.

India is up in the air. I am assembling enough CVs to now challenge 3 US CVs, but I need planes. Still short on zeros. I need to challenge his build-up in Burma, but I have to be able to at least hold off the CVs to get troops into the Indian Ocean. He could also land the strike planes in India and hit from a number of good sized well supported bases there with a LOT of fighters behind them.

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill